Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · OIM A07786 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 280
In plain English
The ledger opens with the big figure: roughly 140-plus gur of barley on account, charged to the threshing-floor stores and to the household, under Ibbi-bī, on behalf of Gabala. Then come the individual allocations: two gur to Gigi; two gur to Ibbisa, on the account of Salim-ahu; two gur to Ibbi-bī, on the account of Šu-ilīsu; three gur to Utu-e, on the account of Zuzu of Amālum. The last line records four gur of barley issued as an interest-bearing loan, likewise on the account of Zuzu of Amālum.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 142 gur, 2 barig, 3 ban of barley (lit. 2 sixties 20 gur 2 barig 3 ban), 2. (that) of the threshing-floor (maškanim?), 3. (that) of the household, 4. Ibbi-bī, 5. of (fem.) Gabala. 6. 2 gur of barley: Gigi; 7. 2 (gur): Ibbisa, 8. of Salim-ahu; 9. 2 (gur): Ibbi-bī, 10. of Šu-ilīsu; 11. 3 (gur): Utu-e (E₂ written over an erroneous SA), 12. of Zuzu, of (fem.) Amālum; 13. 4 gur of barley, 14. (as) an interest-bearing loan (hubullum), 15. of Zuzu, of (fem.) Amālum.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07787 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 281
In plain English
This is a delivery receipt, now mostly broken away. It records that Eštar-nu'id brought in about 3 ban (roughly 30 liters) of gu-flour, along with quantities of barley, more gu-flour, and groats; his name appears a second time against further entries of groats. The final legible line notes 1 ban of barley assigned to a person whose name begins Sali-. The amounts at the start of most lines, and the rest of the names, are lost to damage.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [...] 3 ban(?) of gu-flour 2. [... Eštar]-nu'id 3. [br]ought (it) here. 4. [...] barley 5. [... g]u-[flour] 6. [... g]roats 7. [... Eštar]-nu'id 8. [...] groats 9. [...] ... [...] 10. 1 ban of barley: Sali-[...]”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07788 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 282
In plain English
Message from Šu-Mama: regarding the daughter-in-law, Erē'um took four shekels of silver — weighed by the small mina standard — and paid it over to Kabartum. If you try to deny that this happened, then let Sirkum take his seat as witness to testify to it. In other words: the payment was made, there is someone who saw it, and any dispute can be settled formally.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. Thus (says) 2. Šu-Mama: 3. "For the daughter-in-law (é-gi₄-a) 4. 4 shekels of silver by the small mina 5. Erē'um 6. took, and 7. to Kabartum 8. he gave (it). 9. If indeed 10. you deny (it), 11. let Sirkum 12. [a]s witness (in the eldership) 13. [si]t."”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07791 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 283
In plain English
This is a debt note. Someone — the opening lines are broken — went to Agade, the capital. The account then turns to Ida-ilum: there is an outstanding amount standing against him, and he is to pay the deficit. In modern terms: 'Re: the trip to Agade. Ida-ilum has a balance due on his account; he will settle the shortfall.' The first half of the record is too damaged to recover the details of the transaction.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. [I]da-ilum 2. [...]-um 3. [... to Ag]ade 4. [...] 5. [...]-mu(?) 6. [he we]nt. 7. [Wi]th(?) 8. Ida-ilum 9. there is (an amount); 10. he shall pay 11. the deficit.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07795 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 284
In plain English
This is a grain ledger. Four barig of barley for the oxen go to Abba, and four barig each to Si-ḫursag, Dadi, and Kurub-ilī. Then come the personal allowances: Zawi gets 2 gur of barley as his ration for one month; Dada receives 4 gur covering five months; and Eštar-nu'id gets 1 gur and 3 barig as rations for two months. Nothing more — just who got how much barley, and for how long it was supposed to last.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“4 barig of barley (fodder for) oxen — Abba; 4 barig — Si-ḫursag; 4 barig — Dadi; 4 barig — Kurub-ilī; 2 gur of barley — Zawi: barley ration of 1 month; 4 gur of barley — Dada: barley ration of 5 months; 1 gur 3 barig of barley — Eštar-nu'id: barley ration of 2 months.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07797 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 285
In plain English
This is a sheep ledger: three sheep are booked under Šu-Mama, two under Ida-ilum, and two under Puzrum. The clerk then adds it up — seven sheep in all — and files the lot under the heading of Irisaĝrig, the town connected with the transaction. Nothing more; it is a complete, self-contained tally slip.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 3 sheep — 2. Šu-Mama; 3. 2 sheep — 4. Ida-ilum; 5. 2 sheep — 6. Puzrum. 7. Total: 7 sheep, 8. (of/for) Irisaĝrig.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07800 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 286
In plain English
This is a short inventory of fragrant goods: forty minas (about twenty kilograms) of aromatic cedar wood, twenty-five units of sumelum aromatic, twenty-five of suballulum — probably a juniper product — an amount, now illegible, of ayazum aromatic, and ten units of ballukum aromatic. Just the quantities and the commodities, with no names or dates preserved: a warehouse tally of perfume ingredients.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 40 minas of aromatic cedar wood, 2. 25 (units) of sumelum-aromatic, 3. 25 (units) of suballulum-aromatic (juniper?), 4. x (units) of ayazum-aromatic, 5. 10 (units) of ballukum-aromatic.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · OIM A07809 — Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAD 1, 289
In plain English
A simple ledger of grain allotments: Šu-gubu, Galzu, and Dingir-kal each get 4 gur of gu-nida grain; Ilulu, Puzrum, and Ilī-dan each get 2 gur; Dingir-su-kal and Ilu-danu each get 1 gur. The clerk then totals it up — 20 gur of gu-nida grain in all — and the figures check out exactly.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 4 gur of gu-nida grain — 2. Šu-gubu; 3. 4 (gur) — Galzu; 4. 4 (gur) — Dingir-kal; 5. [2] (gur) — Ilulu; 6. 2 (gur) — Puzrum; 7. 2 (gur) — Ilī-dan; 8. 1 (gur) — Dingir-su-kal; 9. 1 (gur) — Ilu-da[nu]. 10. Total: 20 gur of gu-nida grain.”
Source: engine:claude-fable-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-fable-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry